Showdown at the OK Promenade

The third annual Westside Stand-Up Showdown Finals is that rare populist moment in stand-up comedy when the opinions of the audience, industry types and other comedians intersect, resulting in a distilled essence of yuks that represents the supposed next big thing in stand-up. Of course, "the next big thing" usually takes 20 years or more to break out, so be sure to remember 20 years from now which comics you laughed at tonight. Some of the comics whose audition tapes were watched and judged worthy of tonight's showdown by the cruel souls at the Westside Comedy Theater: Adam Brown, Nick Cobb, Aaron Covington, Ted Evans, Sean Green, Greg Kashmanian, Cheryl Lueder, Shelagh Ratner, Greg Santos, Londale Theus Jr., Mike Von, Mark Zaverukha and frequent L.A. Weekly contributor Adam Gropman. The first prize is $500 (yay) and a paid show at Loyola Marymount (meh), as well as meetings with power brokers and noted acronyms CAA and WME. Second prize? $50 and "a nice, hard pat on the ass." Third prize? You're fired. Westside Comedy Theater, 1323-A Third Street Promenade (in the alley between Third and Fourth), Santa Monica; Wed., June 5, 7:45 p.m.; free. (310) 451-0850, westsidecomedy.com.
Wed., June 5, 8 p.m., 2013